Loading and unloading device



Oct. 4, 193s. D. OLIVA LODING AND UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l CONVEYOR BELT ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 4, 1938. D. OLIVA LOADING AND UNLOADING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed Feb. 29, 1936 INVENTOR. DDNEHIC' D LIVE,

ATTORNEYS 0f.4,193.l D. OLIVA 2,132,082

LOADING AND UNLOADING DEVICE Filed Feb. 29, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. DDNEJYIC O L1 lui A #YM/#5M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 4, 1938.

D. OLIVA LOADING AND UNLoA-DING DEVICE Filed Feb. 29, 1936 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. DD-.MEINE OLI-laan ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 ori-LCE LOADING AND UivLoAIuuNIGl DEVICE Domenic Oliva, Lincoln, Calif.,assignor of fortyv percent to John Puglise, Roseville, Calif.

Application February 29, 1936, serial No. 66,485

2 claims. lomas-p11) f This invention relates to improvements in loading and unloading devices and has particular reference to a device for lreceiving and depositing articles from any moving vehicle such as a train, airplane and the like.

The principal object is .to enable the operator of a vehicle to quickly and safely deposit and pick up containers in which mail, merchandise or other commodities have been placed.

A further'object is to produce a device which is quickly adjustable to various conditionsrelative to heighth or longitudinal placement.

A still further object is to produce a device which is positive in its operation and one which will not cause an impact at the moment of contact between the vehicle and the receptacle holding apparatus.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my apparatus,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the carrier,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the carrier looking from the opposite end of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 8-6 ofv Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the turntable carriage,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the vehicle receiving mechanism,

Fig. 9 is ar top plan view of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view on the line I3-I3 of Fig. 8,

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the receptacle receiver, and

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of my device.

The purpose of my apparatus is to receive from a moving train or airplane, a commodity recep- 45 tacle and deposit the same in the moving vehicle without shock to the vehicle and to also deliver from the vehicle to a suitable receiving mechanism a similar commodity receptacle in such a manner that the commodities therein will not 50 be injured.

Referring to Fig. 1 the same illustrates a receiving station consisting of a rectangular frame having end pieces 5 and 6 joined by a cross piece 1. There are two of these frames spaced apart 55 and joined by end pieces 9 (see Fig. 2). Vertically movable on suitable guidev rails is an elevator 8 which maybe controlled from a station I I. Mounted upon the elevator is a circular platform I2 which rotatably supports a turntable I3 having a central `pivot I4 through which a compressed air line I6 passes. Suspended from the turntable VI3 is a carrier I-'I Which is provided on its inner surface with side rollers I8 and with` bottom rollers I9. The bottom of this carrier is openas best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. Secured to the bottom of the carrier are guide vanes 2| and bottom plates 22. Projecting through one of the guide vanes is a trigger 23 Which. controls a valve 24 connected to the air line I8. A pipe 26 extends from the valve 24 to an air cylinder 21. The piston of this cylinder is connected to a pusher plate 28 carried upon guide rods 29. A spring member 3| is secured to the top of the carrier, the. purpose of which will be later seen.

The operation of the apparatus thus far. described is that, when a vehicle having suitable receiving apparatus passes beneath the carrier,

` which has been adjusted to the proper position,

either to the right or left of Fig. 1 or up or down to accommodate for the varying heights of the receiving vehicle, the action will be that as the receiver passes between the guide vanes 2| the trigger 23 will be moved to open the valve 24 a1- lowing compressed air from the pipe I6 to enter the cylinder 21. This will cause the piston and its connecting rod to push the plate 28 forwardly from the dotted line position of Fig. 6 to the full line position. This will give the commodity receptacle, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, an initial movement in the same direction that the receiving vehicle is moving. At the same time the recei'ving apparatus, to be later described, will pass through the slot in the bottom of the carrier and will pick up the receptacle and push it along the rollers I9 without anyapparent shock on the receiving vehicle. As soon as the receptacle passes out of the carrier, its weight will be entirely borne upon the receiving apparatus and in order to prevent the same moving upwardly the spring 3| is provided.

The receiving apparatus is best illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and l0 and consists of a pair of spaced tracks 32 and 33. These tracks are curved from end to end and have their forward ends projecting above the top of the vehicle which is designated as a whole by the numeral 34. Shoes 36 are mounted at the forward ends of the tracks and are the contact means between the pick-up mechanism and the guide vanes 2l and 22. A receiving receptacle or carriage 31 is mounted upon the tracks 32 and 33 and is provided with two sets of rollers, a forward set 38 and a rear set 39. The forward set travels within a groove formed in the tracks and the rear set travels upon the top of the tracks. A cable 4| is connected to the carriage and to a hoisting mechanism designated as a whole by the numeral 42. The cable -4l is used to move the carriage 31 from the dotted line position of Fig. 8 to the full line position of this figure. When the carriage is within the vehicle it assumes the dotted line position of Fig. 8. Pivoted to the sides of the carriage are hooks 43 which are adapted to engage pins 44. These hooks are pivoted as at 46 and have their rear ends connected by a saddle 41. A spring pressed plate 48 is pivotally secured to the rear of the carriage, the purpose of which will be presently seen.

As a consequence of this construction, when the vehicle passes beneath the carrier having a commodity receptacle therein, and assuming that the carriage has been elevated to pick up position, the result will be that as the shoes engage the trigger 23 the receptacle will be moved forwardly as above described by thev admission of air pressure to the cylinder 21.y The plate 48 passing through the opening in the end of the carrier Will contact the receptacle and due to the initial movement of the receptacle and the spring action of the plate 48 very little relative movement between the two will take place. As the receptacle drops from the carrier into the carriage the Weight thereof will fall upon the saddle 41 pivoting the hooks 43 thus releasing the carriage and due to the incline of the tracks 32 and 33 Ythe same will roll rearwardly to the dotted line position of Fig. '8, at which point the commodity receptacle may be removed.

Y It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle holding apparatus and a receptacle receiving apparatus mounted on a vehicle capable of passing beneath said holding apparatus, said receiving apparatus including a j carriage supported on tracks on said vehicle and movable on said tracks to a point Within said vehicle.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receptacle holding apparatus and a receptacle receiving apparatus mounted on a vehicle capable of passing'beneath said holdingv apparatus, said receiving apparatus including a carriageY supported on tracks on said vehicle and movable on said tracksfto a point within said vehicle, and means for releasing said carriage for movement on said tracks upon receiptof a receptacle from said holding apparatus.

DOMENIC OLIVA.' 

